The open area between Church Leat and Church Hatch was previously known as The Square.
The access to Church Leat was formerly that to the buildings and yard area at the rear of the Tannery. There were two shops here until the access was created, each occupied at one time or another by the village post office. One was later occupied by 'Fishy‘ Hallet's fishmongers and fish and chip shop.
The original Downton Telephone Exchange was also located in this area and was managed by William Flake. The red telephone kiosk sited here is a rare surviving example of a ‘K6’, designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, and is grade II listed.
The new village library was provided as an example of ‘planning gain' provided by the developers of Church Leat. On the first floor of the building there is an exhibition about an aspect of Downton’s history, accessible during library opening hours. The library also holds a good range of local interest and history books for reference purposes.
The shops leading into Church Hatch have been occupied by some famous Downton trading names, including Arthur Matthews and Sydney Stevens (both drapers), and J R Bowskill (chemists).
The Heritage Trail plaque is on the opposite side of the junction with Church Hatch in front of the grade ll listed building dating from the 15th century. The building was the Kings Arms pub and is now converted into housing.
The end rooms of the pub building, facing towards the Old Tannery, were used as the village Reading Rooms in the 19th Century, later as the office of Clarke, Lush and Co, coal and coke merchants who kept their stores of fuel at the railway station and more recently as a wool shop.
